Car-axle lubricator



(Nomaden.) v

J. F. BIRCHARD.

GAR AXLB LUBRIGATOR.

No. 412,233. Patented Oct. 8, 1889.

UNITED VSrn'rns PATENT JOHN F. BIROHARD, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CAR-AXLE LU BRICATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,233, dated October 8, 1889.

Application filed January 28 1889. Serial No. 297,755. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. BIRCHARD, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of YVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Removable Receptable for Lubricant for Oar-Axle Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot said invention, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, and to the letters or iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a device for holding and automatically applying aliquid lubricant to the journal of a car-axle, which device is so' constructed in itself and with. attached mechanism that it can be readilyintroduced into and removed from a car-axle box of the form in common use.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my device in position in a car-axle box, which box is shown in longitudinal vertical section in connection with the axle and a part oi the wheel thereon, in which view are shown in dotted lines the form and a position of my device when being removed from or inserted in the axle-box. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal central vertical sectional view of my device in the compressed shape into which it is put for inserting it in the axle-box. It is taken on the line X X of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the device, taken on line Y Y of Fig. 2, looking toward the right, but with the supporting-springs extended and the car-axle in cross-section. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view ot my device, showing also a small portion of the axle-box.

In the drawings, A is the axle, to which is rigidly affixed the car-wheel B. The axle has a journal O, an outer collar D, and an inner collar E. A journal bearing or brass F rides on the journal ot the axle, and thereon, so as to have movement along on the axles vertically, is the top wall of the axle-box G, above and upon which rests the frame of the car H. The axle-box G extends below the axle A and has a tight bottom and side walls, with an upwardly-curved front end l, forming a chamber K below the axle. The upper front end of the'axle-box is provided with a large aperture, which is closed by the downwardlyswinging door L.

The axle-box, as hereinbefore described, and as shown in the drawings, is the one in common use, into which supplies of oil or other lubricant, with cotton waste, are introduced and held in the chamber K for supplying the axle with a lubricant, which, by the rotation of the axle, is constantly carried up to' the bea-ring between the axle and the thereon-supported brass Il, thereby supplying it wit-h the necessary lubricant.

The object of my invention is to provide a removable receptacle for holding lubricant, which receptacle is adapted to be introduced into the chamber II and to be held yieldingly up to the journal O, which device is provided with means for automatically supplying the rotating journal with a lubricant, as will be hereinafter fully described.

For my device I provide a shallow box l, having an open top and its front and rear walls recessed downwardly centrally for Areceiving therein the journal of the car-axle, so that when in position the side walls of the box will extend upwardly somewhat above the lower central line of the journal` This box is inintended and adapted for receiving and holding thereina fluid lubricant to be applied to the journal as the axle rotates.

For the purpose ot' applying the lubricant to the journal, I insert sets of small wheels 2 2 in the box, which wheels are preferably located in pairs below and at the sides of the journal in such position as to bear against the journal and to be caused to rotate by contact therewith. These wheels are supported in sets of two or more on shafts or axles 3 3,

and are preferably loose thereon. The axles 3 3 are supported and have bearings at their ends in the brackets 4L ll, integral Vwith or affixed to the end walls of the box 1, and also centrally on the standards 5 5, aiiixed to and projecting upwardly from the bottom. When the box 1 contains a supply of iiuid lubricant, the rotation of the wheels 2 2 therein will carry a suflicient amount of it up to the journal C to keep it well supplied with the necessary amount of lubricant. A pair of Scrapers 6 6, one at each. end of the box 1, are secured movably in ways to the inner sides of the end walls of the box and have a vertical movement therein, being held up to position by the coiled-wire springs? 7, inserted beneath them.

IOO

viated.

These scrapers 6 6 are curved or recessed at the top, whereby they are adapted to iit closely about the journal of the car-axle, and at their top lateral edges have inwardly-beveled sides 8 8, fit-ting close to the journal C, whereby they are adapted to scrape from the journal as it rotates any excess of lubricant thereon and force it inwardly along the line of the beveled edge of the scraper, whereby this excess of lubricant is carried inwardly and deposited in the box. This lubricant-holding box l is supported yieldingly up to the journal C on small upright posts 9 9 by the coiled-wire springs 10 10. The posts 9 9 are xed ina base-piece 11, which is preferably provided with two central bearings or feet 12 12 longitudinally of the box 1 at a little distance apart, whereby any tilting movement or unsteadiness longitudinally of the box is ob- This base-piece 11 stands on the bottom of the axle-box G when the lubricant-box sides of box l, and have their bearings at their cesses 13 13.

upward extremities against the upper walls of the recesses 13 13, and at their lower extremities bear against the base-piece 11, whereby the springs are adapted to hold the box 1 yieldingly up to the journal C when the device is in use in the car-axle box, and the springs, when the box 1 is forced down to the base-piece 11, are compressed within the re- Vhen the box 1, which in use is held up to the journal O,is depressed close to the base-piece 11, it may be removed from the car-axle box through the aperture ordinarily closed by the door L, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Two horizontallymoving bolts 14 14, having bearings in the front wall and in the walls of the bracket or channel about the posts 9 9, are adapted to enter recesses therefor in the posts 9 9 when the box 1 is depressed to the base-piece 11, whereby the box is held in that position with reference to the posts and base-piece, as shown in Fig. 2. These bolts 14 14 are held yieldingly up to their work by the coiled -wire springs 15 15 thereabout, which have their bearings at one end against the inner side of the front wall of the box and at the other end against collars 16 16, rigid on the bolts 14 14. A small collar 17 on each of the bolts 14 14 is adapted to engage with the inner side of the box and prevent the bolt from being drawn out of its bearing at .the other end. These bolts 14 14 are also ea'ch'provided with a convenient handle 18 for withdrawing it from the recess inthe post 9.

To hold the box 1 in position against an endwise movement when in use in the axlebox, and also to provide a convenient means for depressing the box on the posts 9 9, I provide a frame 19, pivoted at its sides to the sides of the box 1 and provided at its front end with locking-bolts 2O 20, which bolts have bearings in the frame 19 and are adapted to move outwardly in opposite directions, enterl ing recesses-21 therefor in the side walls of the axle-box G, whereby the box is held in position against endwise movement in the axle-box, and is thereby held against coming in contact with either of the collars D or E on the car-axle. These bolts 2O 2O are held yieldingly in position by the coiled-wire spring22, inserted about their inner ends and bearing against the fixed collars 23 23 thereon.

Vhen it is desired to remove the box 1 from the axle-box, the bolts 20 2O are withrigid with reference to the posts 9 9 and base 11 in the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position it may be readily withdrawn from the axle-box, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

For supplying or filling the box 1 with a iiuid lubricant while in position in the axlebox a spout or funnel 24 is provided on the outer front end of the box l, having an aperture 25 therefrom through the wall of the box, whereby oil or lubricant poured into the funnel 24 will ow into the box. As this aperture 25 permits the escape therethrough from the box of the fluid lubricant to some extent, I provide a short wall 26, projecting from the side and bottom of the funnel, about midway from its front to rear, partly across the funnel in front of the aperture 25, whereby any swash or sudden movement of the oil outward will be checked by this partial wall 26. As this wall 26 does not extend entirely across the funnel, any lubricant introduced into the funnel outside of the wall will flow around the end of the wall and pass through the aperture 25 into the box 1.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a car-axle and a caraxle box having a chamber therein below the journalof the axle with a lubricant-holding box, supporting-springs located in recesses in the sides of the lubricant-holding box, and upright posts fixed in the base-piece adapted to rest on the bottom of the axle-box, the posts being adapted to retain the springs in position and to guide the box in its vertical movements, the lubricant-holding box and frame on which it is supported being collapsible, so as to be removable from the car-axle box, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a removable lubri- IOO cant-holding receptacle for acar-axle box, two upright posts fixed in a base-piece, box-supporting springs for holding the box up to its work, and locking-bolts having bearings in the Walls of the box -and adapted to enter sockets in theposts, substantially as de scribed.

3. The combination of a car-axle box With a lubricant-holding receptacle located therein and supported and held yieldingly up to the car-axle in the box by springs thereunder, and two sets of lubricant-supplying wheels consisting of twoor more Wheels in each set arranged in pairs below and on opposite sides of. the car-axle, the wheels being` supported loosely, so as to have some travel on axles having their bea-rings permanent in the Walls of the lubricant-holding receptacle, substantially as described.

e. In combination with a car-axle, a lubricant-holdi' g receptacle held by springs yieldingly up to the car-axle, and sets of Scrapers, one set at each end of the lubricant-holding box, the Scrapers having beveled edges and being held yieldingly up to the car-axle by springs thereunder resting in the lubricantholding box, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a car-axle box and the journal of a car-axle therein, a lubricantholding receptacle provided with means, substantially as described, for holding it up to the journal-box, and a frame pivoted to the sides of the receptacle and adapted to be tilted and bear at its rear end against the car-axle for the purpose of depressing the lubricantholding box, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a car-axle box and the journal of a car-axle therein, a lubricantholding receptacle provided with means, substantially as described, for holding it up to the journal-box, and a frame pivoted to the sides of the receptacle, and locking-bolts having bearings in the frame and adapted to enter sockets therefor in the walls of the axlebox, whereby the receptacle is secured in position with relation to the axle-box, substantally as described.

7. In combination with a lubricant-holdin g receptacle, a funnel let, secured to the outer end of the receptacle, an aperture therefrom through the end Wall of the receptacle, and an obstructing-Wall 2G in the funnel in front of the aperture, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN F. BIRCHARD.

Witnesses:

C. T. BENEnror, JAS. B. ERWIN. 

